Hacker News Reader

Comment by xlii | Hacker News Reader

USB-C is a dumpster fire.

I tried 10 different cables to try to hook up Stream Deck to MBP. None of it worked. Beside TB3 one they’re unhelpfully unmarked.

The only one that worked was 5m Meta one but I don’t want to have a cable coil on my desk.

I ordered another one - supposedly awesome and conformant for 25$. Nothing.

So another one is en route to me. I gave up already though. It’s shameful that Elgato don’t provide neither precise information about requirement nor ensured compatible accessory.

And supposedly enforcing USB-C was supposed to limit number of cables and waste…

View on HN

Is the problem the cables or the devices? USB-C is well specified and any non-junk cables should work as well. Some searching shows lots of Stream Deck owners having problems so the problem may be with the device.

What kind of USB-C cables were you using? USB2, which is most charging cables, probably won't work. You likely need USB3 ones. I guess hard to tell just looking at random one but USB3 cables are shorter, thicker, and more expensive. You will probably have to buy one, I have a couple of USB3 cables and many charging ones.

Where does the Stream Deck get its power? The Macbook Pro does provide power on USB-C ports but only some ports may provide full power. I think on newer ones all the ports do. The other potential problem is the power direction. Stream Deck has a battery and it is possible that Stream Deck is charging the MBP. I don't think it is possible to reverse direction in MBP; it really should be popup and app to do that. That is may by why USB-A adapters work.

>USB-C is well specified and any non-junk cables should work as well.

There is a Google engineer, Benson Leung, who's claim to fame is just reviewing cables. USB-C may be well specified, but it's up in the air if any cable you buy on amazon is actually up to spec.

I think things have gotten better since he was testing. Manufacturers have gotten more experienced. There are more cables with USB-IF certification.

Certificaton must be expensive since only some Anker cables are certified but they say all of them would pass. I guess I don't care about random Amazon cables since I buy brands I trust.

I'd love to answer this, but due to lack of marking I can only say "different". Multiple Apple cables, that's for sure, different variety too (as Apple has those thicker fast-charge cables). So as for "thicker", that's probably 3/4 of cables I have.

I have Thunderbolt 3 cable (verified), but it didn't work as well. I also checked multiple USB-C ports on MBP because I suspected it might be the problem of providing port. Not sure if Stream Deck has battery, as it can be used only through wired connection and it doesn't have any memoized features, yet I think you might be right with your guess. I found somewhere that I need USB 3.1 gen 2 cable, and that's what I ordered, but based on Amazon description I don't really trust it's going to work.

The whole issue is something that IMO should be dealt with by manufacturer. For ordinary customer this is a problem with a landfill solution.

What does 'none of it worked' mean, here?

A USB2 cable connected to a USB3 device will still work, as USB2. This is required in the spec, and hopefully the OS provides a helpful hint here, especially if more than USB2 HS bandwidth is required.

A non-emarked cable connected to a PD source and sink will be limited to 3A@20V (60W), but again it will still work to deliver a significant amount of power, just maybe not enough.

If 'nothing' is working then something is more broken with your setup than the USB specifications.

It wouldn’t light up nor it wouldn’t be recognized by MacOS.

When using provided USB-A -> USB-C cable and an adapter it did work. It also would light up when connected directly to power source through USB-C.

As for “my setup” - it’s non modified hardware with non modified software (at driver level at least). This is a common problem with Stream Deck. If it’s possible to get into situation where cable is indistinguishable but it might work or not (I’ll repeat - I have 5m long Meta cable for Oculus that works) it’s definitely problem of specs and shabby manufacturer.

I don't have this hardware setup, so I don't know what's wrong with it, but it has nothing to do with the USB specs. If they were followed, then the situation you describe wouldn't occur.

I'm poka-yoke kind of person, so I blame process. If it's possible to manufacture incompatible device (that works with some cables and doesn't work with the others) and standard allows it and doesn't require clear markings and designations - that's an awful standard.

BTW., as an update - I just received "USB 3.1 Gen 2" cable. It doesn't work.

The standard doesn't allow it, that is my point.

A baseline of USB2 connectivity is required for both cables and ports. A baseline of 5V@1.5A is required. Compliant (USB) devices are required to come up and enumerate even if they can't get the power contract they want or the speed that they want.

It is on the software to convey to the user that something the device needs is missing, the USB spec can't really speak to that, but there is not any situation allowed in the spec where you connect a USB device to a USB host and there is no working data&power interface at the end.

> BTW., as an update - I just received "USB 3.1 Gen 2" cable. It doesn't work.

It sounds like one of your devices is broken.

Yup. And it’ll end in trash soon. So much for ecology.

Reply on news.ycombinator.com